Gathering the materials for a radioactive ‘dirty bomb’ isn’t supposed to be simple in the US. In fact, it’s supposed to include a stringent inspection process. But an undercover congressional group in Texas had a remarkably easy time completing the task.
With terrorism keeping the US government on edge, and both major presidential nominees making it a major campaign topic, one might assume that domestically acquiring the ingredients to poison an entire city for a year or more would be an impossible task.
After all, such ingredients require a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) – a rule designed to keep such substances out of the hands of the wrong people. Applicants are expected to demonstrate they have a legitimate need for the ingredients, and that they understand the NRC’s safety standards. They must pass an on-site inspection of their equipment and storage.
But a clandestine group from Government Accountability Office (GAO) – the investigative arm of Congress – had a much easier time getting their hands on ingredients to make a dirty bomb.
The group of fewer than 10 people – formed in 2014 in North Dakota, Michigan, and Texas – found that the Lone Star state made their job incredibly simple, the Center for Public Integrity reported.
The journey to the deadly ingredients began in Dallas, where the group incorporated a shell company they never intended to run. In order to have an address for the license application, they rented an office space in an industrial park. When asked to identify their safety officer on the form, they created a false name and attached a fake resume. And when they were asked what their intentions were, they said they needed the material to power an industrial gauge used in oil and gas exploration. – READ MORE